Fabric engaging device



April 14, 1936. J. o. POLLACK 2,037,089

FABRIC ENGAGING DEVICE Filed Fe}:. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 14, 1936. 1 J O POLLACK 2,037,089

FABRIC ENGAGING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC ENGAGING nnvrcr:

Joseph 0. Pollack, Chicago, Ill. Application February 20, 1935, Serial No. was

8 Claims. (on. 24-259) The invention relates to devices adapted to operatively engage collars, cravats, napkins and the like and to hold the articles so engaged in proper position relative to the body of the wearer.

The invention has among its objects the provision of improved fabric engaging members and flexible connecting means therefor adapting the device for a variety of uses including the maintenance of the free edges of a collar in fixed relation, the holding of a cravat in its normal position, and the suspension of a napkin or bib from the neck of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is the provision of fastening devices of the kind described which are capable of easy manipulation for securing the same to a garment or other fabric articles, and which are durable, economical of construction, and satisfactory for their intended purpose.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. l is a front view of a shirt on which is mounted an embodiment of the invention adapted to hold a cravat in normal undistorted position;

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively plan and elevational views of a fabric engaging member forming a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively plan and elevational views of another fabric engaging member forming a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively plan and elevational views of an alternative embodiment of a fabric engaging member adapted to be substituted for the member shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively plan and elevational views of an alternative form of fabric engaging member adapted to be substituted for the member shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the invention adaptable to engage and prevent spreading of the free ends of a collar;

Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively plan and elevational views of fabric engaging members forming the ends of the device shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 illustrates the adaptability of the device shown in Fig. 10 as a cravat holder wherein one end of the device is connected with the cravat and the other end with the overlapping edge of the shirt whereby the cravat is held in normal undistorted position; and

Fig. 14 is a view of still another embodiment 5 of the invention comprising a pair of fabric engaging members adapted for connection with a napkin or bib, the clamp members being connected by a chain of suflicient length to encircle the neck of the wearer.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a chain having fabric engaging members H and I2 respectively fastened on its opposite ends. The member 1 l comprises a pair of slightly flexible bars I6 respectively adapted to engage the opposite sides of the overlapping edge of a shirt l3 and the member 12 comprises a rigid plate l9 and a cooperating normally resilient member 20 respectively adapted to engage the opposite sides of a pleat M on the shirt which extends in parallel spaced relation to its overlapping edge. The chain I0 is of suflicient length to extend around the edges and across the front of a cravat l5 and thereby hold the cravat in normal vertical position.

The bars l6 comprising the member ll provide registering apertures l8 adapted to receive the end link of the chain Ill. The bars [6 are firmly fastened together adjacent the apertures [8 by means of clips I! integrally formed with one of the bars and bent around the edges of the other in such a manner as to hold the bars against relative lateral or longitudinal movement. The bars I 6 are normally in contact adjacent their free ends with their extreme free end portions diverging to provide a wedge-shaped recess adapted for easy insertion of a fabric sheet. The intermediate portions of the bars [6 are spaced apart suflicient that the inserted fabric sheet is not clamped between the bars except at the normal contacting point adjacent their free ends. The member H is held in position on the garment by the pressure exerted by the bars I6 upon 45 the inserted fabric, the resilience of the bars being such that the member is easily mounted upon and detached from the. fabric without manual actuation of the bars other than pushing or pulling upon the members.

The member I2 is constructed to positively engage the inserted fabric to prevent loss of the device in the event of accidental detachment of the frictionally held fabric engaging member ll. 55

For this purpose the member |2 requires positive manual actuation of the resilient member 20 relative to the plate IS in order that the member may be mounted upon or removed from a fabric article. One end of the plate l9 provides a stem of the same width as the slightly resilient member 23, the stem and member being provided with registering apertures 23 in which the end link of the chain I0 is inserted. The plate I9 and the member 20 are fixedly fastened together adjacent the apertures 23 by means of clips 2|. The intermediate portion of the member 20 forms a loop projecting through an aperture 22 in the plate l9 with its outer free end spaced from the plate l9 except at its terminus which is inturned to form a jaw 24 normally contacting with the plate. The clamp member I2 is operatively engaged and disengaged with the pleat M by pressing on the loop portion of the member 20 to move the jaw 24 away from the plate IS. The resilience of the member 20 is such that the jaw 24 prevents movement of the member l2 relative to the inserted fabric except by positive actuation of the member 23.

A fabric engaging member 25 shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is adapted as a substitute for the member ii and comprises a relatively resilient narrow member 29, connected with a relatively rigid wide member 30 by a loop 26, adapted to receive a ring 2! connecting the members with the chain H). The members 29 and 30 are fastened together adjacent the loop 26 by means of clips 28 integrally formed with and projecting from the member 30. The intermediate portions of the members 29 and 33 are spaced apart as shown, the member 29 terminating in a slightly outwardly curved portion and the member 30 having its free end providing an inturned portion normally contacting with the member 29 and terminating in an outwardly curved portion 3|. The diverging free end portions of the members 29 and BB provide a, wedge-shaped recess adapted to receive the edge of the shirt l4. The resilience of the members 29 and 30 is such that the member 25 is adapted to be mounted upon and detached from the shirt front by respectively pushing and pulling upon the member, the latter being thereby frictionally held in position.

A fabric engaging member 38, shown in plan and elevational views in Figs. 6 and '7, respectively, is adapted as a substitute for the fabric en-' gaging positively manipulated member l2. The member 38 comprises a plate 32 connected by a loop 33 with a slightly resilient narrow bar 36. A ring 34 forming the end link of the chain In is positioned in the loop 33. The bar 36 contacts with the plate 32 adjacent the loop 33, then diverges away from and extends back through an aperture 35 in the plate. The free end of the bar 35 is spaced away from the plate 32 except at its extreme end portion 31 which provides a jaw normally contacting with the plate. member 38 is operable to engage the pleat l4 on the shirt I3 by pressing on the intermediate curved portion of the bar 36 thereby separating the jaw 31 from the plate for insertion and removal of the pleat. The resistance of the bar 36 is such as to permit its manual actuation to release the jaw 31 but is sufficiently rigid that the jaw holds the member in fixed position relative to the fabric except when positively manually actuated.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown I in Fig. 10 as comprising a pair of fabric engaging members 4| adapted for frictional engagement The.

with the free edges of a collar 40. The members 4| are connected by a chain 42 of such a length that the chain is held taut when the members 4| respectively operatively engage the ends of the collar and thereby prevent the edges of the collar from spreading.

The clamp members 4| each comprises a relatively rigid plate 43 and a relatively resilient member 46, connected by a loop 44, in which is inserted the end link of the chain 42. The member 46 and the plate 43 are fastened together adjacent the loop by a pair of clips 45 integrally formed with the plate. The intermediate portion of the member 46 is spaced from the plate 43 and has its free end inturned to contact with the plate adjacent its extremity which diverges from the plate as shown. The resilience of the member 46 is such that it yields to permit mounting of the member 4| on the collar and its removal therefrom, by respectively pushing or pulling on the member, the pressure of the member 46 being suflicient to maintain the members in proper position under the normal tendency of the collar to spread.

The device comprising the members 4| and the chain 42 is also adapted as a cravat holder by engaging one of the members with the overlap ping edge of the shirt B and the other of the members with the edge of a cravat l5 as shown in Fig. 13. The length of the chain 42 is such that it not only holds the ends of the collar in properly spaced relation but it also holds the cravat in its normal vertical position.

Fig. 14 illustrates a pair of the clamp members 38, constructed as hereinbefore described, and

mounted on the ends of a chain 41, the chain being of suflicient length to encircle the neck of a child and the clamp member 38 being adapted to operatively engage a napkin or bib 48. The members 38, being operable only by positive manual manipulation of the bars 36, are especially adapted for this purpose since the bib cannot be detached by pulling thereon and its removal by a child wearing the same is prevented.

Thus it will be seen that the invention embodies improvements in fastening devices of the kind described including novel fabric fastening members, some of which are maintained in place by frictional engagement with the fabric and some by positive jaw action, the fabric engaging members being connected by flexible members of lengths adapting the devices for a variety of uses such as cravat holders, collar fasteners and napkin or bib supporting members.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, and means adapted for fastening a flexible member to the fixed end of said bars, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent.

2. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, and means adapted for fastening a flexible member to the fixed end of said bars, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent, one of said bars being wider and less resilient than the other bar.

3. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together I the portions of the bars engaged thereby, and a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent.

4. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, and a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent, one of said bars being wider and less resilient than the other bar.

5. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, and a ring connected with said loop member, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent.

6. A fabric engaging member comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end thereof, each of said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, and a ring connected with said loop member, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent, one of said bars being wider and less resilient than the other bar.

'7. A device of the kind described comprising a pair of fabric engaging members, each of said members comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end, a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, and a ring positioned in said loop, said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent, said members being adapted to be connected by fastening the opposite ends of a flexible member to said rings.

8. A device of the kind described comprising a pair of fabric engaging members, each of said members comprising a pair of bars arranged in longitudinal juxtaposition, a pair of clips fixedly fastening said bars together adjacent one end, a loop member integral with and connecting the fixed ends of said bars, and a ring positioned in said loop, said clips being integral with one of said bars and bent around the other bar in such a manner as to clamp together the portions of the bars engaged thereby, said bars being in yielding contact adjacent their free ends and otherwise spaced apart with their extreme free end portions substantially divergent, one of said bars being Wider and less resilient than the other bar, said members being adapted to be connected by fastening the opposite ends of a flexible member to said rings.

JOSEPH O. POLLACK. 

